Synopsis
Avengers, The (1963 series) #357 synopsis by
T Vernon
Rating:
It’s the night of the Avengers’ dinner party and Marilla has decided to help Jarvis by providing the kitchen staff of the House of Attilan to prepare a very Inhuman menu for the guests. When Jarvis sees the chaos he just stands there stunned; Crystal helps him get over it as best she can….
Elsewhere, four Avengers (Black Widow, Black Knight, Hercules, and Vision question the captive Swordsman about the Gatherers and their intentions. He cannot explain how he can be the exact double of an Avenger who died many years ago but he holds a grudge against the team for abandoning him years ago. They show him an image of the original, full-color Vision and Swordsman has never seen him before; they show him Mantis and he does not recognize her either. They show him Moondragon and Swordsman reacts violently, calling her “Mantis….”
In the Soho neighborhood, an attractive woman wants to go but her male companion begs her to stay, saying there is something special about their relationship. She agrees to remain with him, adding, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you…”
Back at the Mansion, Dane and Herc are getting ready for the party while discussing Swordsman who has been sedated. Dane explains his theory that this Swordsman is from a parallel dimension…but the guys are interrupted by the first sight of Taylor Madison. Herc is smitten with her and Dane approves…and then he sees Crystal in her finery….
Elsewhere we see that Hera is watching in the Pool of Revelation, seeing her revenge against Hercules play out (and tipping us off that Taylor Madison is not what she seems). Zeus comes upon her and mentions rumors that his interdiction on the gods traveling to Earth (except for Hercules) has been violated. Hera gets all evasive and promises to hunt down the malefactors….
The Avengers are called to dinner by Jarvis and Dane offers to escort Crystal in—but Sersi shows up, fashionably late, and claims Dane’s companionship for the dinner. Dane is embarrassed but Crys lets him go and Vision escorts Crystal in…
In the kitchen, Jarvis vents about Marilla’s taking over the dinner and hurts Lockjaw’s feelings and offends the visiting staff. But a glance sets them back to work and Jarvis sees the advantages of a professional staff….
The party is going well. Herc asks Taylor how she likes working with terminally ill children. Dane tells Sersi of his embarrassment so she explains that her snobbishness is a cover for her discomfort around mortals and assures him that she really does like him. Natasha proposes a toast to the Avengers who a short time earlier looked to Cap and Nat as though the team might not continue but the latest lineup seems to be a success. And then….
Marilla takes Lockjaw and goes up to check on baby Luna and discovers a mysterious woman called Screener. Marilla recognizes her as one of Magneto’s Acolytes so Screener erases Marilla’s and Lockjaw’s memories of the incident and reports back to her homebase that the child is clearly human before vanishing. Marilla finds the baby is sleeping peacefully and departs….
The dinner party is interrupted by the appearance of the Watcher, who looks at each one in turn, and vanishes, leaving behind the impression of “Beware!” Sersi tells everyone not to worry and seconds the toast….
At the docks, Police Detective Joe MacNamara and Coroner Tomas Delgado see the sixth victim of a serial killer: it’s the man we saw with the attractive woman in Soho….
CharactersGood (or All)Plus: Luna Maximoff (
Baby Luna), Marilla, Taylor Madison.
Enemies
Hera, Scanner, Swordsman (Philip Javert).